Someone? Please? Tell Me Why Roethlisberger Was Still in There?

I know I’m not the only one asking this question tonight so let me ask it again. Why did Pittsburgh Steelers’ Head Coach Mike Tomlin have his $100 million quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, still in a game that couldn’t be won?

I’m going to stand off to the side while I wait…

Oh, you don’t know either? Well I’m glad I’m not alone because Tomlin’s decision to keep Roethlisberger in the game today despite being down by 31 points has to rank among the most asinine things I’ve ever seen. And I remember the Eighties’ Steelers too!

I shouldn’t make jokes. This is actually a serious question I’m asking because there is no possible answer that Tomlin nor anyone else could give that would make a lick of sense to me. There are 13 more games in this season including five division games and five more in-conference games. Roethlisberger had already been hit several times and this team had zero chance…. I mean ZERO CHANCE of winning this game today at that point but there he was.

Still in the huddle…

What was Tomlin trying to accomplish? Was there really something to build upon down by 31 points? If you tell me there was then I have ocean front property in Latrobe to sell you. Maybe it wasn’t even Mike Tomlin’s decision.

The way the NFL is driven by money these days would it surprise anyone if the league had a “hidden rule” that says if you’re starting QB is still healthy in a blowout he has to stay in? Ya know? For fantasy purposes??? You’ll notice Antonio Brown was in there as well till the better end as well racking up all kinds of garbage time stats and fantasy points.

OK, maybe that goes a bit overboard but do you see my point? Can you imagine what I’d be writing right now if Roethlisberger had been injured in garbage time today? I guarantee you it would be far more ‘R’ rated than this article is.

Tomlin will likely say “Ben’s a competitor. He wanted to stay in there.” While noble, sometimes you have to pull rank coach and today he didn’t and got away with it. Next time Tomlin might not be so lucky.

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Marc Uhlmann is a Co-Owner of and Writer for steelcityblitz.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteelDad and follow the site @SCBlitz. He is the host of the Steel City Blitz Podcast and has been known to offend fans with opinions they fear are true.